Her reason
by Soldier's Requiem
Summary: Insight on Ursa's decision to take Akemi in. What was it that had made Ursa take Akemi into her family in the first place? From story 'Journey of the heart'. Highly suggested you read the prologue before reading this.


**Soooo I got bored and this is the result of it. **

**Judging by the prologue of my story, Journey of the heart, I can imagine these are some of your thoughts right now, **

**'Why did Ursa choose to keep Akemi in? It seems so Mary-sue-ish.'**

**'Ursa taking in an OC? MARY-SUE ALERT!' **

**'SRSLY? WAT IS DIS?'**

**'MARYSUE!'**

**'Not THIS again!' **

**'AUUUUGGGGGGGGGH!' **

**Yeah...**

**I knew from the beginning of writing the story that it _is_ Mary-sueish. I mean, if you think about it what noble would take in a random peasant girl who just became an orphan, when she could send her to an orphanage?**

**My point exactly.**

**Well, this one-shot is an insight on why Ursa took her in the first place. **

**Note: This is a oneshot from my story 'Journey of the heart'. You won't understand my OC, Akemi, if you don't read that story. Or at least the prologue. **

**Disclaimer: Do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

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><p><strong><strong>Her Reason<strong>**

Life is short. No matter how hard we try to prevent it, all things must come to an end eventually. The same thing with death; all living things have a life-span. Time was not in their favor due to such a short life a living being was given.

It can be prolonged, but never avoided. Death is inevitable; but it can either be accepted or refused. You can choose to go peacefully or violently. Bravely or cowardly.

Willingly or unwillingly...

Ursa shut her eyes and brushed a stray hair strand from in front of her face, glancing out her carriage's door window at the streets of the firenation. It was dark, and a few speckles of dawn were hardly noticeable over the jagged mountains' horizon.

She sighed tiredly and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes; she would return to the palace in no less than an hour. Her son would be there, along with her daughter. Even her husband. She would explain what had happened.

Her mother had passed away.

Illness had taken her. Ursa had felt helpless when her mother was dying, but deep down, she knew it was only a matter of time, anyway. After all, her mother had been very old. Her father died during the war many years ago, but she had been too young to remember what he even looked like.

However, her mother had been her pillar of strength her entire life...and now she was gone from this world. Forever.

She had a family, but, would not burden them with the pain she felt right now. Her kids were much too young to experience their mother breaking down, when she, herself, was supposed to be _their_ pillar of strength.

Ozai would sneer at her weakness. He didn't care much for his brother, Iroh, nor his father, she had concluded long ago. He would be no help.

The moment her mother had died, Ursa felt like crying. She no longer had a mother that she would always find comfort in when she was a little girl...the one person who supported her from the time she was going out into the world, alone. There wasn't anyone else in the world she could look to, anymore.

But she had her family, so she would stay strong. For her children. Mainly Zuko. He would get scared, no doubt, and it would only make matters worse-

She was startled awake when the carriage was rocked violently, as if it had ran over someone.

"Stop the carriage!" Ursa yelled to the man steering, and it abruptly stopped. She quickly got up and opened the door hastily, wondering what had been underneath it.

Her answer was found when she saw a small figure sitting on the road. It looked to be a child! She quickly ran over to the child. For goodness sake, what on earth was a little girl doing out in the middle of the road during the early hours?

It was dangerous for a child her age to be out here!

"Are you alright?" Ursa asked the child, motherly instinct making her adrenaline rush. She looked over the child, and could only see a few scrapes on the child, but she seemed to be fine; no broken bones.

She then realized the girl was staring at her in bewilderment. Seeing some blood trailing down the girls cheek from a fresh cut, she took out a small handkerchief from her robes and dabbed her tongue on it before placing it on the area, wiping away the blood.

The girl squirmed and she then noticed some tear stains on the young girl's face. She immediately thought it was because of the cut from when she got ran over accidentally.

"I'm so very sorry. You know, you shouldn't wander the streets like this, little one. What are you doing out here when you should be home with your family?" Ursa asked.

She raised her brows curiously when the child froze up and bowed her head to her knees. Either she was shy, or...something must've happened...?

Suddenly, the girl let out a hiccup. She shook violently and fresh tears traced the stains already on her cheeks and onto her lap.

"I-I have no family….t-t-they….they're d-dead! M-My home…g-g-gone—and n-no where else t-to…" The child stuttered before sobbing uncontrollably.

Ursa's eyes widened, and without even thinking about it, she took the girl in her arms and held her as close as she can to herself. The girl didn't seem to mind she was being hugged by a total stranger; she was crying to much to care.

Ursa blinked back her own tears as she analyzed the situation before her.

This girl lost her mother. Her dad seemed to be gone, by what she had said. If she hadn't mention him, he must be long gone, but...it seemed that she just lost her maternal parent of her family.

Just like she had.

What were the odds?

But this girl...she looked to be her eldest son, Zuko's, age. No more than 10 years old and...she had no parents. Her mother was dead...and like her, she had to face the world alone.

No _child _should be in her situation! She was an adult, she could take care of herself. A child like this wouldn't know how to survive on her own. Not without a parental role in their life...

This child needed a parent...and she could be the one to give that to her.

She waited for the girl to finish crying her heart out before she spoke,

"Since you have nowhere to go, I will take you in my family." A hint of determination flashed through her eyes, but the girl hadn't noticed when she looked up at her teary-eyed.

"W-What?"

Ursa smiled. "You've heard of the Royal firenation family right?"

She noticed the girl's eyes widened, and she almost laughed at her shocked expression; she looked adorable. "Y-You're Queen Ursa?" The child spoke.

Ursa ruffled her hair affectionately, already starting to see trust glimmer within the girl's gold eyes. At that moment, she could see something in the girl's eyes that moved her; she saw something almost...pure.

She knew at that moment there was something special about the child...something different than from any other children in the firenation she's ever seen in her life.

"Yes, I am actually." Ursa responded. "Do you want to live with me back at the palace?"

Then again, the girl probably wouldn't want to come along. She was being asked by a total stranger to bring her into a family, and it seemed too suspicious.

Her intentions were pure, but the girl probably didn't know that.

Ursa watched the girl contemplate her decision before she nodded her head. When the child leaned against her, she wrapped her arms around her and carried her back to the cart.

"What is your name?" Ursa asked the child, who now looked drowsy instead of upset.

The girl looked up and spoke,

"Akemi..."

Once she fell asleep, Ursa knew that deep down, she would not regret this decision.

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><p><strong>I hope this gave you a good idea of why this happened. I think it was pretty believable. <strong>

**Ursa losing her mother, and coming across a child who so happened to lose their mother while knowing the pain of losing a parent? Not wanting a child to suffer the same way they are? I think my mother would do that with another child when given a chance! **

**So now you know! Hope this answers your questioning of Ursa's decision! :)**


End file.
